Definitions
- 1. Chinese set expression, typically of 4 characters, often alluding to a story or historical quotation
- 2. idiom
- 3. proverb
- 4. saying
- 5. adage
Word relationships
Related words
2 items歇后语
xiē hòu yǔ
anapodoton (a saying in which the second part, uttered after a pause or totally left out, is the intended meaning of the allegory presented in the first part)
A two-part allegorical saying, often more playful than 成语.
俗语
sú yǔ
common saying
Common saying or colloquial proverb, less literary than 成语.
Usage notes
Collocations
Used with verbs like 用 (yòng) or 引用 (yǐnyòng): 使用成语 (use an idiom) or 引用一个成语 (quote an idiom).
Example Sentences
1 shown这个 成语 很难理解。
This idiom is hard to understand.
AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.